Chautauqua: John Hiatt and Los Lobos

August 15, 2010 · Posted in Product Reviews 

John Hiatt and Los LobosMy date and I were fortunate enough to be at the Chautauqua Auditorium in Boulder, Colorado for the sold out John Hiatt and Los Lobos concert last night.  If you are not familiar with this amazing venue,  the Chautauqua Auditorium was built in 1898.

Los Lobos was the opening act.  We were joined by two friends who are Los Lobos fans.  While I was familiar with some of Los Lobos’ music, my date was completely unfamiliar with them.  These aging rockers from east Los Angeles knocked my socks off.  David Hidalgo, one of the front men, can really wail on the guitar, plus he plays a mean accordion.  My favorite Los Lobos’ song is Kiko and the Lavender Moon, which, for me, was the highlight of their set.  That was the highlight for my date as well.

John Hiatt and the Combo were the headliners.  John Hiatt has probably made more money with his songs being covered by other artists than he has from recording them.  Needless to say, Hiatt is an underrated artist.  While his recorded music is great, Hiatt really shines as a live performer.  While he mostly played his old hits, Hiatt did play a few songs from the new album.  The highlight of his performance for myself, as well as my date, was a variation of his hit Have a Little Faith in Me.  The tempo was a little faster than he normally performs it, accented by some impromptu a capella, akin to a fiery sermon from a Southern Baptist preacher.

One of the most memorable moments of the show was when David Hidalgo, Cesar Rosas, and Steve Berlin from Los Lobos joined Hiatt on stage (see picture).  They performed Little Feat’s Willin’ as a tribute to Richie Hayward, who died last week from liver cancer.  David Hidalgo played his accordion in the places where the piano would normally be played.  Needless to say, I wish that I would’ve recorded this magical tribute to Little Feat’s late drummer, who was also one of the band’s founding members.

On a closing note, the Chautauqua Auditorium is one of my favorite concert venues.  Not only is there a relaxed atmosphere in this beautiful setting, but the acoustics are amazing.

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